Billie Holiday was a jazz and swing singer from the United States. Lester Young, her friend and music partner, dubbed her “Lady Day,” and she had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop singing.
Holiday’s vocal style, which was heavily influenced by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new approach to phrasing and tempo manipulation. Holiday’s vocal delivery and improvisational abilities were well-known.
How did Billie Holiday die?
Holiday died of cirrhosis on July 17, 1959, at the age of 44.
After “Strange Fruit,” Holiday’s popularity increased. She was mentioned in Time magazine. “I open Café Society as a stranger,” Holiday explained. “I left as a star two years later. I needed the prestige and publicity, but they don’t pay the bills.”
Joe Glaser, her manager, was soon forced to give her a raise. Holiday returned to Commodore in 1944, recording songs she had written with Teddy Wilson in the 1930s, including “I Cover the Waterfront”, “I’ll Get By”, and “He’s Funny That Way”.
